The Hands of Time
by tea-and-hunni
Summary: Shion has fallen victim to his own mind. He is riddled with guilt as he thinks of No. 6 and it's citizens, leaving him stressed and sleep deprived. More and more recently, he has become trapped in overwhelming nightmares and  hallucinations.
1. Prologue

**AN: Hey everyone!~ This is my first time writing a fanfic, so I wanted to write some Nezushi stuff! I'm not entirely sure where the story is going to go, but the plot will advance gradually, so please stick around and read? I apologize for the chapter being so short, but I really wanted to make the prologue short and to the point so that I could get on with the actual storyline.  
>Rated T for emotional trauma and hinted psychoneurosis in later chapters. Enjoy!<br>**

**The Hands of Time**

**Chapter 1: Prologue**

Shion wandered aimlessly around the west block, fairly close to the underground home which he and Nezumi lived in. Although there wasn't much to do, Shion was attempting to make the most of each day.

He had just finished washing and drying all of Inukashi's dogs, and was now on his way home, to some extent. The sunset was so beautiful that Shion couldn't help but linger a bit longer, taking in its magnificent colors and the wonderful emotions it evoked within him. He inhaled deeply, feeling significantly relaxed as his deep red eyes traced pictures within the thin pinkish clouds that hung about the sky.

He skipped along the rocky ground, making sure to savor this blissfully peaceful moment. It had been quite a long time since Shion had gotten the chance to relax, and his ever wandering mind certainly didn't help. Recently, he had been thinking about No. 6 more and more. "Why does Nezumi despise it so? I'd like to think he's the kind of person who doesn't hold grudges…but… urgh! Why doesn't he just tell me already?" Shion thought aloud, huffing with frustration and entangling his hands in his white hair.

He continued home, his pace still awfully slow. Shion sighed once the entrance was in his line of sight. "It's been the same daily routine for a while now…" He thought, a small frown making its way onto his face.

Shion began to start down the stairs, when he saw something out of the corner of his eye. He turned around quickly to see something small flying towards him rapidly. A…bug? No. Not just any bug. A bee. Shion's breath hitched upon the sight, and he froze up."No…" He choked out, remembering those who had fallen victim to the killer bee's venom.

By this time, there were multiple bees flying towards him, a swarm following closely behind. "Stay back!" He shouted, shooing them away, although somewhere in his subconscious he knew it was futile. The insects circled him, as if only to toy with the boy. "Move… I have to…move…" Shion thought, willing his body to turn back around and run to safety. His legs began to move, but not fast enough. "Nezu…mi…." He murmured, his vision becoming clouded. The bees soon closed in around him, panic and fear causing him to black out.


	2. Grasping Reality

**AN: Hey everyone! I wanted to thank all you lovely people that added my fic to your alerts or reviewed!~ I never expected it to get attention, especially because I wrote so little... I've been quite busy recently, so again I apologize if I have to post short chapters just to keep you updated, or if I can't update for a while because of school work! I can't wait for summer, seriously. I know it's probably still really confusing thus far, but don't worry! Things will begin to make sense as the story continues. Now to respond to my reviewers! **

**red. robin .yummmmmm: Aha! Thank you very much, I'm honored by your enthusiasm! (づ｡◕‿‿◕｡)づ**

**Anano: I know... I couldn't resist having a little fun with Shion's emotions!~ Makes for an interesting fic, eh? Things will begin to make sense soon! Hopefully Nezu-chan will be able to help him through this! Thank you for the kind review~ ^-^**

**Now on to chapter two!**

**The Hands of Time  
><strong>  
><strong>Chapter 2: Grasping Reality<strong>

"Shion!" a voice called out distinctly and clearly. It sounded quite familiar. "Ah… what a nice voice… I wonder where it's coming from…." Shion thought, his eyes opening slowly, only to find a pitch black void surrounding him.

He looked around, slowly but surely. The black abyss displayed no signs of life. "Shion… Shion!" The smooth voice repeated, ringing and echoing through the void. He continued to wander the darkness, barely able to see his hands in front of him.

"Where am I?" He thought aloud. The white haired boy was feeling tired and discouraged. There was nothing here, just darkness.

He snapped out of it when he heard a faint sound. It reminded him of dripping water, but he had no way of being sure. Once. Twice. Three times. The sound continued, urging him onward. Shion quickened his pace in fear that the sound would cease.

"Shion… wake up already!" The voice commanded, seeming desperate now.  
>"I am awake though… aren't I?" He mentally questioned, striding towards the source of the sound.<p>

He soon reached a small pool of water, barely visible in the blackness. A drop of water was dripping and splashing upon the surface methodically, creating slight ripples in the water. Shion was unaware of where the water was falling from, but at the moment he could care less. The slender boy leaned over the small pool of water, but could not see his own reflection.

It was someone else's…. _Nezumi's._ He was sure of it now. He recognized the familiar face shape, complete with starry silver eyes and sleek dark hair. "Nezumi?" Shion inquired in disbelief, staring into the water. His red eyes widened as the reflection in the pool began to move. "What's going on here?" He thought, bewildered, before hearing his name called again.

The reflection only blinked in boredom and ignored Shion before turning away so that he could no longer see him. "Nezumi!" Shion shouted, but the figure seemed to grow further away by the second, slipping out of sight. "Wait! Nezumi! Please…don't….don't leave me here! I want to live… _to live on with you!_" Shion cried out, reaching into the pool towards the slowly fading figure.

Much to his surprise, his limb simply disappeared into the cold dark water, adding to his misery. The boy felt his heart clench in pain and betrayal as Nezumi's reflection continued on, his back turned, ignoring Shion's outcries.

"Wake up already! Shion! Get a grip!" The voice shouted at him, leaving him to wonder as to where it came from. Nezumi was speaking to him, yelling for him to wake up, and yet he had just seen Nezumi's reflection walk away without a second thought? What kind of twisted dream was this? No… it was more like a _nightmare. _

In a desperate endeavor to follow the figure that had faded from him, and seeing little other options, the white-haired boy thrust himself into the small pool of water, immediately being swallowed up and immersed in the icy darkness. He shuddered and shivered while attempting to curl up into a ball, but felt a strong weight pulling his legs down. Shion could no longer move them.

He clutched at his arms and looked around frantically, his snow white locks drifting in the water. There was no light to be seen, no noise to be heard, and nothing to feel but the pain of this cold, miserable, sickening nightmare. It felt almost real, though… Every touch evoked an emotion in Shion, every call of his name rang through his ears, and the absence of his most important person left a stabbing feeling in his heart.

As he continued to look around, he spotted something in the distance. A white glow that shone radiantly. Shion felt the strong urge to reach out and touch it, as it was an arm's length away, but realized he could not move his arms when he tried to do so. "But why…? My body is perfectly fine! Why can't I move my arms and legs?" He thought, feeling frustrated and upset. The very thought of his limbs being rendered useless shook him to the core.

Upon further inspection, Shion noticed that the white lights were all around him. They almost resembled a starry sky in contrast with these deep black waters. The lights appeared to be slowly expanding, enveloping the white-haired boy in warmth. It was soothing to his chilled body, and brought about a calming sensation amongst all this madness. They began to grow larger and hotter by the second, though.

Soon it was uncomfortably warm, and the white glow surrounded his fragile form. "Wait…s-stop!" Shion shouted as his entire body was enclosed in the now unbearably hot white lights.  
>He shut his red eyes tightly as his skin began to burn, incapable of looking directly into the light.<br>It was as if he was a child again and had been trying to stare at the sun.


	3. Confused

**AN: _I'm so sorry for not updating sooner! Thank you all so much for all the fabulous reviews! I forced myself to finish writing a little something for all of you before leaving for Anime Expo, and here it is! Maybe I can crank out another chapter soon.  
>Thanks again for putting up with me! I hope you enjoy! (Shion is really in some deep trouble... He just doesn't know it yet.)<em>**

Suddenly, and without warning, Shion was thrust into reality.

The light surrounding him was nearly unbearable, and he found himself unable to open his eyes for a good minute or so. He attempted shifting this way and that, but that force still seemed to be pressing his limbs downwards, keeping him from moving.

Shion felt soft material on the back of his hands… where was he, exactly? He'd passed out after that swarm of bees attacked him, right? That black abyss clearly wasn't real, so…

The white haired boy found himself utterly confused at this point. His vision finally came into focus as his eyes adjusted to the light, and he felt a shock run through his body.

Shion's red eyes met sharp grey ones nearly immediately. Nezumi was sitting atop him, holding him down.

Well that explained the pressure he felt.

"What are you doing?" He blurted, feeling suddenly exhausted as soon as he'd spoken. His back and neck ached, for some reason…

"You wouldn't stay still, and you were screaming like there was no tomorrow." Nezumi replied flatly, almost sounding as if he were complaining rather than trying to be helpful.

Shion's eyes widened. "Really? I was… screaming?" He thought aloud, feeling a bit shaken up at this news.

"Yeah. My ears are bleeding now, thanks to you." The other replied, looming over him.

His bluish hair fell in strands around his face, and it was then that Shion realized it wasn't tied up in his usual ponytail.

"Ah, your hair is down…" He commented, trying to move once more, but to no avail.

"Is there a problem?" Nezumi asked, his voice teasing, yet with a sharp edge to it. He was always so serious.

"It's pretty." Shion giggled, feeling a bit more like his usual self. Nezumi released him from his tight grip, and Shion immediately sat up, feeling his head spin.

"Ugh…" He muttered, bringing a hand to his forehead as he swayed back and forth.

"Airhead." Nezumi jabbed, wrapping an arm around the white haired boy as his lips curled upwards into a smirk.

Shion fidgeted slightly in Nezumi's grasp, his back and neck still stinging.

"You shouldn't sit up so fast." The other chided lightly, flicking Shion's forehead as if he were a little kid.

Shion puffed out his cheek and frowned slightly. He didn't like being treated as inferior… even if it was a dumb mistake that he was being scolded for.

"Sorry." The boy with the red snake-like scar replied plainly.

Nezumi frowned inwardly at Shion's less-than-adequate apology, but brushed it off nearly immediately.

Shion was feeling a little uncomfortable sitting here with Nezumi still half on top of him. He felt the other's arm still wrapped around him, holding him tightly.

Shion reached up to toy with a wisp of his white hair, when he noticed a shallow cut running along his forearm. The fresh, red colored cut he wore became more noticeable in stark contrast with his loose white sleeves and his pale skin.

"How long has that been there…?" Shion questioned innocently, perhaps a bit too relaxed.

He extended his arm to show the cut to the now worried Nezumi. "I don't remember having this before." The white haired boy said as he mulled it over.

"When have _you _ever done anything dangerous?" Nezumi asked accusingly, making it seem as though it were Shions fault for whatever he'd done to get such a long and unpleasant looking cut. It wasn't bleeding, though. Nezumi sighed, half relieved and half annoyed at himself for not noticing the minor injury sooner.

Shion blinked his big red eyes curiously. "So you don't know what happened to me, either?" He asked, still eying the slash running down his arm.

"No. Do I look like I keep tabs on you at all times?" The blue haired male asked sarcastically.

Shion's curious expression remained unchanged as he spoke.

"Yes."


	4. Distorted

**AN: Wow, I finally wrote a longer chapter than usual. **

**I forced myself to finish this chapter for my dear friend Lexis~ I hope you're feeling better!  
>Thank you all for the reviews + alerts! I'm starting to have a lot of fun with this fic... ohohoho...<strong>

**The Hands of Time**

**Chapter 4: Distorted  
><strong>

Shion fidgeted uncomfortably on the couch, looking up occasionally to sneak glances at the older male eying him across the room. "Why are you staring at me?" Shion questioned, a bit flustered. Nezumi's unfaltering gaze was beginning to frustrate the white haired boy.

"No reason, really." Nezumi said absentmindedly, his cold grey eyes still locked on the other. "I was just thinking that you should take better care of yourself." He said flatly.

"I told you, I don't even know how this got here!" Shion huffed, jabbing a finger at the long cut peeking out from underneath his sleeve.  
>Nezumi simply scoffed and turned his head, causing his bangs to fall slightly out of alignment. He wasn't buying this.<p>

How could Shion not notice a bright red slash along his arm? Perhaps it had happened before Shion passed out, or while he was disoriented…

but then he would've noticed the pain when he woke up, right? At least Nezumi assumed it was so. "_I'm reading too much into this…_" He thought, and tried to shake off the pressing thoughts in his head.

"I'm going to take a bath." Shion stated, derailing Nezumi's train of thought. Nezumi turned his head slightly to look at Shion, not bothering to give any sort of response.

The younger boy sighed lightly at Nezumi's apparent stubbornness (or, what Shion assumed to be stubbornness, anyways) and stalked out the door into the hallway, where a separate room containing a bath tub awaited him.

The actor's eyes followed the boy out of the room with quickly growing suspicion glinting in them. Nezumi, for once in his life, wasn't entirely sure what was going on. He sure as hell didn't like it, though. He knew that much.

Shion muttered reassurances to himself as he set his towel and a set of his clothing next to the bathtub. _It's nothing… I must have simply forgotten about it… It's not even that painful… It'll heal quickly, I'm sure of it… _

He turned a knob attached to the bath, and watched warm water pour in from a pipe nearby. As the bathtub filled, Shion stripped himself of his clothing, albeit very slowly.

He couldn't help but huff and sigh. It had been a long day… Wait, how many days had it been? He'd passed out, after all…

Well, all he knew was that he was tired. He didn't want to deal with minor injuries, or have to wonder how he got them in the first place.

Although he was considered a very bright kid, Shion never had all the answers. He wracked his brain, but no matter how much he searched, he couldn't find the answers he was looking for.

He slipped carefully into the bathtub, not even bothering to turn around and make sure he'd locked the door like he usually did. Honestly, Shion was too drained to care. He just wanted to curl up on Nezumi's bed and go back to sleep…  
>Wait.<p>

Nezumi's bed.

_Nezumi's_ bed.

He'd been asleep in Nezumi's bed… but for how long? The last time he'd slept in Nezumi's bed was when he nearly died-  
>Shion shook off those eerie thoughts immediately.<p>

He sighed and reached for a washcloth sitting nearby, which he deemed to be clean. Shion dampened it slightly with the bathwater and began scrubbing his skin vigorously.

After a few minutes, Shion began to slow his actions. He wrung out the washcloth before setting it aside, and simply leaned back, spreading his arms to rest upon the edge of the bathtub behind him. He stifled a yawn, closing his eyes for a moment to mull over his thoughts.

He gave it a fair amount of thought, and Shion decided that he must've gotten the cut when those bees attacked him earlier. He'd probably fallen down at some point… but there was no evidence of the bees. Why not?

Shion grew more and more curious with every passing moment, and finally his eyes snapped open, revealing unto him an unpleasant scene that he wished he'd never seen.

The cut along his arm was bleeding a bit, tainting the warm water that surrounded the boy. His red eyes grew wide at the sight. Had he scrubbed too hard?

Shion bit his lip anxiously and rose from the tub, only to notice another slightly smaller cut on his lower calf. He cursed inwardly.  
><em>"Where do we keep the bandages, again…?" <em>Shion thought, trying to remain calm as the deep red fluid trickled down his arm and dripped off of his elbow.

He whipped his head around, but saw nothing of significance. The lights flickered, and Shion began to panic. "N-Nezu…" He began, but stopped himself and wondered if it was a good idea to call out to him. Shion had to try to be more independent if he wanted to be seen as Nezumi's equal, after all.

"Nezumi!" He blurted, the name easily slipping past his lips. There was no response.  
>"Nezumi!" The white haired boy repeated.<p>

After a few seconds of silence, the bathroom door flew open to reveal a disheveled, worried looking Nezumi.  
>"What's wrong? Why are you yelling?" The older male asked; his voice sounding urgent and filled with concern.<p>

"M-my…cut…" Shion began, looking down to his arm. It wasn't bleeding, and the smaller cut on his leg had disappeared. He was shocked.

Looking up, his eyes met grey ones which looked as if they were analyzing him. There was a moment of silence. "Hmm… could it be that you were screaming my name for some _other_ reason?" Nezumi teased, a smirk playing across his features.

Shion blushed a deep red color and grabbed his neatly folded shirt, chucking it at Nezumi. "Shut up! As if!" He yelled, completely flustered and embarrassed.

"Well you _are _completely naked, after all…" Nezumi commented, rolling his eyes before turning to leave the room. A shock was sent up Shion's spine as he realized this.

He'd been so distracted by the blood…and…

He went to pick up his shirt, which was now in a heap on the floor. Shion drained the bathtub and slipped into his clothing without much thought. After everything was as he'd found it, he left the room, shutting the door behind him.

As Shion passed through the short hallway, he noticed something etched in the stone wall. The word "TRAITOR," was written in small, jagged letters.

Something in Shion's stomach turned, and he ran into the room where Nezumi waited.

He could've sworn he felt a drop of cold sweat running down the nape of his neck.


	5. Unanswered Questions

**AN: Aghhh I've actually had this chapter written out for a few weeks now, but I felt like it was missing something important... And I didn't have many opportunities to finish it before, so I'm sorry!  
>Anyways, the plot really picks up at the end of this chapter, so make sure you stick around! c:<br>Thank you everyone for the reviews, follows, and favorites!  
><strong>

**The Hands of Time  
>Chapter 5: Unanswered Questions<strong>

Shion huffed as he reentered the small room, trying to catch his breath.

Nezumi eyed him suspiciously, but said nothing. His eyes spoke for him, flashing with concern, worry, and possibly irritation.

"This isn't a dream, is it…?" The white haired boy asked, but immediately wondered if this was ground he should tread on.  
>Nezumi's eyes widened, if only slightly, and he corrected his posture as he turned to face Shion. "No. Why would you think that?"<p>

"Well… it's just…. Haven't you seen some strange things around here?" He asked, admittedly a bit frightened. Shion spread his arms, gesturing to the walls surrounding them.

"No, I haven't. Everything's the same as usual, except for you. You're constantly throwing me for a loop." Nezumi replied bluntly with a shake of his head, allowing his blue locks to sway freely.

At hearing this, Shion decided it would be best not to bother telling Nezumi of the things he'd seen, as nerve wracking as they may have been.  
>"How long was I asleep…?" The younger boy asked softly, moving to sit beside Nezumi on his bed.<p>

Nezumi sighed, but did not oppose this. He shifted slightly to permit Shion a place to sit.

"…7 hours or so." Nezumi replied brusquely.

Shion simply nodded, looking down at his hands, which were now folded in his lap. He tried his best to remain calm. "How did I get in your bed?" He questioned cautiously.

"I put you there, obviously." Nezumi said as he gazed at the white haired boy knowingly.

"T-that's not what I meant!" Shion started, raising his voice a bit now. "I mean where was I before…? Where did you find me? Because I remember passing out, but nothing after that! And then it was so dark… and cold… I nearly drowned, and then—"

"Hey, calm down, your highness." Nezumi interrupted, reaching out and grasping Shion's jaw between his thumb and index finger. "I don't know exactly what you're trying to say, but I found you passed out at the entrance to the underground housing units." He answered in that smooth, calming voice of his.

Shion could only stare as those piercing grey eyes met his.  
>His heartbeat picked up in pace, and his eyes widened. "And… <em>How<em> did you know I was there?"

"Just a feeling I had. Besides, you normally come home earlier. I know you can't stand being away from me." Nezumi stated, wearing one of his crooked half-smiles. The smile didn't reach his eyes, though. Shion suspected that Nezumi was worried.

"It's almost 1am. You should get to bed." The grey eyed male advised, finally releasing Shion's jaw from his grasp.

"Fine." Shion said as plainly as he could, although he was shocked. He moved to the couch and pulled a single blanket over his small frame.

"Goodnight…" He trailed off, his voice barely above a whisper. Shion was still shaken by this entire ordeal.

Nezumi did not reply. He simply sat there, mulling over the day's events with a sullen look.

Shion felt a shock run through his body, and his eyes snapped open. He awoke in a white building filled with complex technology and sliding doors. Everything was clean as a whistle, and not a sound could be heard.


	6. Breaking Point

**AN: Two updates in one day!  
>I had to break up this chapter into two because it was getting too long... 8D;;<br>Enjoy! **

**The Hands of Time  
>Chapter 6: Breaking Point<strong>

"The… correctional facility?" The boy questioned aloud, his voice echoing through the big white room. Shion had never entered the correctional facility before, but he'd heard of it before, and Nezumi had mentioned it here and there. Judging by the vast amount of equipment surrounding him, this had to be the place.

He twisted his neck to look at his body, only to find himself on a white bed lined with paper, and his body full of tubes that looked like the IVs he'd seen in people who needed medical attention. Of course, Shion had never needed one. He'd always been a fairly healthy, bright boy.

The white haired boy, frightened and confused, began pulling the foreign tubes from his body. He choked when he saw the blood begin to stream from his arms.

"No… No! I need this blood to save No. 6, damn it! Don't you see?! I can still create a cure!" Shion snapped, knowing full well that there was no way to stop the bleeding, and no one would hear his pitiful cries.

The only thing left to do was run. Run somewhere safe. Somewhere familiar.

Shion stumbled towards the set of sliding doors before him, leaving a trail of beautiful crimson behind. "No…" He mumbled before uttering a stream of incoherent words and curses.

The white doors slid open with ease, revealing a town made up of shades of orange and brown, painted with streaks of golden sunlight.

The buildings were not what caught his eye, though. The blue and white streamers, balloons, and banners were. _The Holy Day. _

He clutched one of his bleeding arms tightly, biting his lip to muffle the scream that was building in the back of his throat. Tears streamed from Shion's light red eyes, and did not show signs of stopping.

The boy took a single step forward, his breath catching in his throat. He coughed, sputtering blood onto his hands. It was hopeless. He was losing too much blood.

Shion's knees buckled beneath to him, and he fell into a puddle of his own blood.

He blinked the tears from his eyes, and looked around for some sign of hope. Everyone was gone… They were probably celebrating in the square, that is, if they hadn't already died.

Dead or not, if Shion didn't find help, he would surely die along with the rest of them. It was only a matter of time.

So he sat in the pool of warm fluid, heartbroken and desperate as he whipped his head around.

A figure. A figure stood in the shop window closest to him.

A woman, perhaps? She turned around slowly, revealing a kind face framed by short, wavy brown locks.

It was Shion's mother.

"Mom!" He shouted, his face alight with a spark of hope.

Shion twisted his body around and pushed himself forward, but he could hardly move his limbs. He was too weak.

The woman's soft smile turned to a look of terror, and she clutched at her sides as she keeled over in agony.

Shion watched his own mother cripple, decay, and die, right before his eyes.

Nezumi was right. He couldn't save anyone.

The boy threw his tear-stained face skyward, letting out a series of screams and yells that would surely threaten to damage his vocal cords.

Nezumi shifted slightly on the bed after watching Shion sleep for about an hour. The boy would move here and there, but he was silent, save for a few mumbles and labored breaths.

He wondered to himself what the boy might be dreaming of. Shion's mind was a very active one.

His grey eyes flickered with interest as Shion rolled over once more, the thin blanket slipping from his pale body. Shion's face twisted up in a pained look, his eyebrows knitting together.

"Shion?" Nezumi questioned quietly, not entirely sure if he should wake him.

The boy on the couch let out a piercing scream that tore through the night and echoed through the room for what seemed like an eternity.

"Shion!" Nezumi yelled, jumping to his feet and rushing to Shion's side. It appeared he was biting his lip, and tears were spilling from his closed eyes.

"Hey! Wake up!" The older male demanded, leaning over and gripping Shion's shirt collar with one hand as he raised the other.

Nezumi waited. The smaller male beneath him did not wake. He only let out a choked sob.

Nezumi inhaled and stiffened, as if bracing himself. He slapped Shion across the face and shouted, "Wake the hell up, damn it! Shion!"

The white haired boy finally opened those big red eyes of his, looking confused and tired. In an instant, he seemed to have grasped what had happened.

Startled and shocked out of his sleepy state, Shion tried to sit up, only to bang his head against Nezumi's.

"Ow!" Nezumi recoiled, releasing the boy from his grasp.

"What's going on…?" Shion asked, genuinely out of sorts. He looked around the room with a look that suggested he'd never even been there before.

"I think I should be asking _you_." Nezumi retorted, weaving his elegant fingers through his bangs and rubbing at his forehead gently.


End file.
